But really, the sonorous, beautiful word "cannon", what can it mean? Let's study smart dictionaries and encyclopedias!
From billiards to scandal
The word is of Gallic origin and came to us from the French language. It is primarily associated with billiards. Therefore, to the question: "Cannon - what is it?" - you can safely answer: "Billiard term." And now in more detail.
- Firstly, this is a variation of this game. According to its rules, the ball hit with a cue ball (cue ball) must hit another ball and hit another one with a rebound. The blow must be aimed, not random.
- Secondly, this is the name of the strike itself, and this is also the correct answer to the question: “Cannon - what is it?” In another way, you can define the meaning of the term in this way: a game with three balls and a corresponding blow.
- Having stepped out of the narrowly specific area into “masses,” the word acquired an additional, figurative meaning. By analogy with a blow in billiards, they began to call this an unpleasant, sensitive situation associated with various disassemblies and scandals. Thus, the third answer to the question: "Cannon - what is it?" - it sounds like this: an unexpected collision, argument, quarrel, often ending in a brawl. In a noble environment this was a duel. Now the word is outdated, rarely used, but even 2-3 centuries ago it was very even in use. And now only good language experts put it into their speech.
- However, this etymological our research does not end there. Therefore, the Russian language is considered great and powerful because each word in it can shine and play with its own faces, in which direction you do not turn it. It is on this manifold that metaphors, puns and other artistic paths are built. So the term that interests us has, over time, acquired another meaning. Therefore, the fourth answer to the question: “Cannon - what is it?” - such: an unexpected act, action, event, which no one expected, but it happened. Like the previous one, this value also has long gone out of active use. However, reading books, we can quite often find him in works on historical subjects. Yes, and our grandmothers, great-grandmothers, who love to express themselves flowery, no, no, and yes, they will insert a word into their stories about distant youth. By the way, one more nuance: the once predicament was also called that way.
- Is it right to say that cannon is a dance? Unfortunately no. This indicates the collision of pairs during the execution of a particular figure. For example, if, whirling in a waltz, you accidentally run into neighboring dancers - the cannon is there! He began to be considered a dance after the song of A. Rosenbaum performed by M. Shufutinsky with the same name. One of her lines sounds like this: "... we danced a gentle cannon dance." But there is a state theater in St. Petersburg, musical, for adults and children, under this very name. Who wants to know more about him, visit the “Cannon”, a poster at your service.
Overseas fruit
And finally, the last point of our study. Cannon or carambola is an exotic fruit with a ribbed surface. If you cut it into slices, you get unusual five-pointed stars. The fruit itself is bright green or rich yellow, like a melon. The taste is pleasant, sweet and sour. It is perfect as a dessert, and to decorate the table - the first thing. Here is such an unusual cannon!